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Jailmates testify in torture case

They said suspect felt no remorse

GREENSBURG — An 18-year-old Western Pennsylvania woman liked the media attention she received for her alleged role in the torture and death of a mentally disabled woman, and repeatedly made wisecracks about some of the more sordid details of the case, two jailmates testified Thursday.

Selisha Hardison told Westmoreland County jurors hearing their fourth day of testimony that Angela Marinucci of Greensburg was happily jumping on a county prison bunk when she learned of TV coverage of the February 2010 murder of 30-year-old Jennifer Daugherty of Mount Pleasant.

“Yay, I’m going to be on the news,” Hardison said she remembered Marinucci saying. “She didn’t show any remorse. None.”

District Attorney John Peck contends Marinucci instigated the torture and murder that involved five other defendants, all adults older than Marinucci, who was 17 at the time.

Marinucci’s attorney, Michael DeMatt, has acknowledged Marinucci participated in some of the abuse, and was present when Ricky Smyrnes, 25, allegedly ordered Melvin Knight, 21, to stab Daugherty after some 36-hours of torture. Authorities say that included beating and kicking Daugherty, who was also forced to drink a blended concoction of urine, feces, laundry bleach and prescription drugs — and forcing Daugherty to write a purported “suicide” note that listed the drugs the suspects expected would be found in her system.

DeMatt denies the prosecutor’s claim that Marinucci was jealous of Daugherty’s sexual relationship with Smyrnes — although several witnesses who have testified at the trial, which began Monday, have confirmed the prosecutor’s theory.

On Wednesday, Marinucci’s former cellmate said the defendant became enraged when Daugherty said she was pregnant with Smyrnes child.

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